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PellucidWombat
Mountain climber
Berkeley, CA
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Topic Author's Original Post - Aug 25, 2011 - 04:32pm PT
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I looked through the Reid guide for various aid routes to climb for fun/practice, and in the guidebook they are all still rated with the "A" rating, sometimes listing a recommended 'dirty' aid rack. I managed to find a modern "C" rating for some of the more popular climbs (courtesy of SuperTopo!), but there are still a lot of routes that still remain uncertain.
I'd like to climb them clean, but if they haven't been re-established for clean ascents as the standard, then I'd definitely want to be prepared to do some nailing too, so it would be good to know what I'm getting into.
Do the aid climbers here have any knowledge of the potential "C" ratings of the following routes or whether any of these still would need some dirty work?
Dog Dik Cliff
Pink Pussycat A1 1 pitch R(36)
Kat Pinnacle
Northwest Corner 5.7 A2 1 pitch R(40)
Southwest Corner 5.7 A3+ 1 pitch R(40)
The Cookie Cliff
Coffin Nail A3+ 1 pitch R(44)
The Stigma (P1) C2 1 pitch R(45)
The Stigma A3 2 pitches R(45)(I know from ST that P1 is C2. Is the second pitch still A3? Or C2-3 now?)
Pat & Jack Pinnacle
Sunblast A2+ 1 pitch R(53)
The Tube C1? (5.11a) 1 pitch (This one I know is a free climb, but I was speculatively hoping to do a clean aid ascent & then TR it in the winter when it is less busy. Anyone know if the 5.11 crux section could be cleanly aided?)
Middle Brother, Base (Not in winter?)
Rixon's Pinnacle: Direct South Face 5.7-5.9 A2 7 pitches R(132)
The Folly: Left Side 5.9 A3 8 pitches R(133)
Five Open Books, 2nd Tier
Mischief 5.8 A2 2-3? pitches R(150)
Geek Towers (Not in winter)
Right Side 5.10 A2 ? pitches R(157)
Church Bowl
More Balls Than Brains A3- 1 pitch R(166)
Bishop’s Balcony 5.5 A3 2 pitches? R(167)
Staircase Falls Area
Old A2 A2 1 pitch R(242)
Old A5 A3 1 pitch R(242)
Old A3 A3+ 1 pitch R(242)
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Ihateplastic
Trad climber
It ain't El Cap, Oregon
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Aug 25, 2011 - 05:21pm PT
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I'd like to climb them clean, but if they haven't been re-established for clean ascents as the standard, then I'd definitely want to be prepared to do some nailing too, so it would be good to know what I'm getting into.
I would say this, there are so many tools available today from Tomahawks and cam hooks to micro cams and tiny wires that you should just go and experiment for yourself! Even knife blade and RURP cracks can now (often) be done clean and sometimes with results that are less testy on the mind. A good 'hawk placement can easily beat out a good RURP placement.
If it hasn't been done clean then... be the first! If you want to practice nailing then make sure the route really needs it or else you may suffer the wrath of the holy.
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PellucidWombat
Mountain climber
Berkeley, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 25, 2011 - 05:36pm PT
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If it hasn't been done clean then... be the first!
That certainly is my goal! But I'd want to be prepared if I can't (though I'd keep the dirty gear far enough away to be a pain to use).
Actually that fits into another question I was wondering as to the ethics in the Valley of when it is OK to switch to nailing. Obviously it's not OK on an established clean route unless it is replacing a fixed piece, but for these routes that are not as popular, I would want to know that I'm choosing to nail both at an appropriate circumstance both in terms of my feelings & the area ethics.
If you want to practice nailing then make sure the route really needs it or else you may suffer the wrath of the holy.
Since I'm still pretty new to aid (just done a few C1 pitches w/ cams, nuts, Ball Nuts, and learned to place & clean LAs & Bugaboos) I worry that I might result to hammering too early. Certainly knowing that the route can/should go clean now would help me be more creative :-)
Right now I have micro-cams, offset nuts, micronuts, ball nuts (fun to aid on, but a bit unnerving!), hooks, and a few pitons that I can play around with for stacking with nuts for the clean aid. I also have some cam hooks coming in the mail. I've read Chris McNamara's clean aid tips stuff and a couple of big wall books, so I do know a few tricks to start playing with. Any other rack/technique suggestions to maximize my chances of doing a clean ascent?
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Ihateplastic
Trad climber
It ain't El Cap, Oregon
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Aug 25, 2011 - 05:45pm PT
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Tomahawks! These things hang in tenaciously and come in two sizes and three styles. A bit nervy the first few times you stand on them but it will blow you away what you can do with them. The trick to aid (and climbing, come to think of it) is be willing to push yourself just a little beyond your comfort zone and you will find a whole new world of what works.
Sorry for the pitch, but you can buy Tomahawks, hooks, etc. here at a great price with free shipping and it helps the YCA, YOSAR and the ASCA:
Vertical Toys
Now, about the ethics question... While you would want to avoid banging on "established" clean lines there are still plenty of wall starts (first couple of pitches) where nailing is not frowned upon. Also, some of those more obscure aid lines are still "unclean" so no one will bitch if you tap a few blades. Another trick is to hand-place pins. Again, it takes a little getting used to but it is clean and makes the job of the second that much easier too!
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tolman_paul
Trad climber
Anchorage, AK
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Aug 25, 2011 - 05:46pm PT
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I'd venture to say that the majority of the practice nailing routes have had enough pins placed and pulled over the years that they should go clean.
As far as pulling out the pins and hammer too early, if you haven't blown a placement or two, you haven't pushed yourself hard enough. Force youreslf to be creative in your placements.
I know sume will suggest practicing with a top rope to push yourself, but IMHO that will give you the false self confidence to not properly test placements and hop on them at will. Without the potential for a fall, your mind just isn't in the right place to take with each and every placement.
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Gene
climber
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Aug 25, 2011 - 05:47pm PT
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Church Bowl
More Balls Than Brains A3- 1 pitch R(166)
Bishop’s Balcony 5.5 A3 2 pitches? R(167)
Clean would be sketchy for the former, NBD for the latter.
g
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HighTraverse
Trad climber
Bay Area
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Aug 25, 2011 - 06:54pm PT
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Bishop's Balcony clean?
Now THAT's enough to give me nightmares. I'm no aid climber but when I was looking up at the roof in May from the balcony, I thought "No way will that go clean". The roof crack seems to be full of bashies with torn wires where the crack actually exists. Otherwise it looks like a groove.
Elucidate please. Seriously, I'm not calling you out. If you know what it takes, I'd love to hear it.
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kev
climber
A pile of dirt.
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Aug 25, 2011 - 07:22pm PT
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The Northwest corner of Kat Pinnacle's aid pitch goes clean at C2.
Bring some small brassies and big beers...There are some old rusty cracked fixed pins :)
No hammering when I did it 5ish years ago...
EDIT the crux is the poison oak on the approach.
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PellucidWombat
Mountain climber
Berkeley, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 25, 2011 - 08:02pm PT
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Thanks everyone! Melissa, that link is just what I was looking for.
If I do these and find conditions to the contrary (C instead of A), I'll report back. :-)
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Gene
climber
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Aug 25, 2011 - 09:09pm PT
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High Traverse,
Maybe it was an exceptional day for me when everything was dialed in properly. My failing memory tells me that two or three moves were fixed and that the rest of the route well fairly easy with cams in pin scars. In addition to the roof proper, there was a sling hanging down at the lip of the roof that I unabashedly used.
Cheers,
g
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Melissa
Gym climber
berkeley, ca
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Aug 25, 2011 - 09:11pm PT
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Every time I've been up there the roof has been crammed with junkola tat and knotted up cables. There are more attractive free routes to clean aid (IMO).
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Captain...or Skully
climber
or some such
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Aug 25, 2011 - 09:17pm PT
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I climbed Sunblast a long time ago...I thought it was cool.
Actually climbed several of those, but I'm sure (pretty sure) that my info is outdated.
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